You Tell Me
by Castfire
Summary: He was a sneaky slagger, worming his way about. Well he would just have to find his own way out of this sick joke Primus was playing on his spark, for better or for worse...At some point StarscreamXSkywarp.
1. Chapter 1

Right, first thing I've written so lay it on me if you would be so kind when your done. And thank you to the two people who pointed out it not being found, I believe its fixed...

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><p>This was absurd! Not only were the energon stocks near an all-time low but their <em>oh-so-great Leader<em> was planning _nothing_ to fix it!

To say he was angry about the situation would be saying Skywarp wasn't planning some inane prank every moment of his glitched existence. Other cons flattened themselves ageist the purple walls as Starscream swept towards his lab, wings angrily spanning out. The SIC's glare dared any of them to make a crack or stop him.

It wasn't long before he could see it; Starscream could see the doors to his labs. Those dented scorched, scratched, familiar purple doors that he could hide in till his circuits cooled and found a new way to frag off Megatron. Yes, that would put him back into a good mood. Though what passed as a 'good' mood for him was questionable by most.

Picking up the pump of his white legs Starscream quickly entered the lab barely waiting for the soft hiss of the doors before locking it with more force then was necessary. Starscream resisted the urge to simply slide down the panel to just fantasize degrading, foul, and malicious ways to end the source of his ire. Instead the tri colored jet puffed out air through his vents and placed himself at his main table and gave the organized, pristine tools an almost loving look. Picking up a data pad to start in his distraction Starscream settled in.

"Megatron spit in your energon again?" and there went his data pad.

"Thundercracker! What are you doing in here?" Starscream yelped. The data pad landed on the floor with a load clack as Starscream twisted around to stare at a nonplussed Thundercracker.

"I'll take that as a yes, and I am cleaning your storage."

Starscream had to take a second to process that before answering. While the blue seeker waited for it to click. Which it did; in a flurry of violent arms and wings.

"You-I ordered _Skywarp_ to clean that out for that ridiculous prank with the –the-"

"Pudding."

"Pudding! Whatever the slag that foul substance was he leftin my _thrusters!_"

Oh, that had been a dark day for the tri colored flier and Starscream was completely willing to share his foul mood with his wingmate after that little stunt. Part of that fallout was for the warper to clean out his storage in his lab, the junk storage anyways. Only a complete fool would let Skywarp near the other more …delicate items.

The other seeker gave a great huff of his vents and slumped his shoulders a bit in a form of acceptance.

"It started that way till I—I felt like doing it instead?" the blue seeker drug out the word with a slight roll of his helm as he contemplated a justification.

The cold scowl told him, quite solidly, that his commander knew better.

"In short? He asked me to help him with it in exchange of a prank free Earth month. Though 'helping' to him is more like 'do it for him' it would seem." Thundercracker signed, relenting.

Raising a brow ridge at his wing mate Starscream was at an impasse of whether to smirk at the outcome or wanting to rip into Skywarp for pushing off his punishment to another.

"You should know, in fact, I know you know how that was going to end."

"Well I guess I just keep thinking maybe just once it'll turn out." Thundercracker's voice turned from lost hope to a bit smug. "Besides a whole Earth month clear of 'mishaps' is worth a joor or two of cleaning."

"Bah, he'll forget about it in two cycles."

"You're just angry because now he'll target you twice as much without me on his list."

Starscream made a flippant hand gesture to drop the subject before it became any less desirable.

Thundercracker left it with a small part of him satisfied of the predicted future. Skywarp had a decent since of humor in his pranks sometimes; at least when directed at someone other than himself of course.

Both Seekers settled back into a comfortable silence as they went about either picking up stray objects or finking with tubes and jars of various liquids with rather treacherous, nasty, rebellious thoughts.

What neither of the two seekers noticed till it was quite too late was the purple flash barely seen from behind lab equipment deeper in the room. Though the slight fizzle sound that came from said depths quickly building into the form of a small rocket shooting toward the work bench had the jets turning to look. Starscream let out a screech as the mini rocket speed straight for him. Diving for the side and skidding close to where Thundercracker had dropped his current box of junk and was ducking partly behind the storage closet entrance. The rocket whizzed into the wall where Starscream's helm had been not two astro-seconds before. But instead of exploding there and setting off a catastrophe of reacting chemicals, the sparking object bounced, -_bounced_ off an abandoned beaker and headed like a sign from the Unmaker himself towards the startled seekers.

The jets scrabbled for the safety of the storage areas deeper parts but it seemed too late. There was an auto crackling pop and a bright flash of color with the feel of tiny pieces of shrapnel hitting their limbs not yet pulled in. Thundercracker was the first to check using his optics on the damage. What had felt like little bits of deadly debris turned out to be colorful pieces of paper spread over the immediate area and covering the crouched second in command.

"Ppppfffffff-HAHAHAHAHA!" Came an almost childish laugh from near the storage entrance. Only the laugh was more like a cackle making for a unique sound of demented naive joy that only their third member could possibly make.

"SKYWARP!" Starscream screeched from his position on the floor who took the impish sound as a sign that he did not just get shredded in his own lab.

"Haha-wh-what? Hah-your-hehe-face!" The prankster answered; barely keeping up right and out of the way from angry swipes of white thrusters. Bight flakes of paper flying in the enraged seekers fuss.

"You slow-witted-slag-headed-screw-loose-frag-colored-worthless-exhaust-sniffing-tinfoil-covered-!"

"Whoa now there Starscream, you might bust a line like that." Thundercracker said breaking into the Air commanders strung together offense.

"I'm going _rip out_ that fools lines!"

"Hey! That was funny. You just can't take a joke!"

"I might be able to take your 'jokes' better if they were actually funny!"

"Like I said funny, TC even cracked a smile."

"You're both worthless idiots then."

"Don't bring me into this."

"Oh? But it was _your_ act of weakness that allowed him to pull this newest form of stupidity."

"It wasn't stupid."

"Hey, I was just cleaning _your _storage and it was a good deal."

"Bah, whatever! You _both_ are going to clean up this mess and then finish the storage-BOTH of you." Starscream commanded with a jab of his blue finger at the black jet. Who then proceeded to pout for all he was worth.

"Awwww come on Screamer I-"

"No I will not hear it, you already pawned your work off on to Thundercracker once, you should feel lucky this is all you're getting after adding that stunt in as well….Don't call me that"

"But I-"

"Come on Warp', let it go, he has got data pads to glare at."

"Wha-oh, oooooooh, HA, must have been a good-."

"It is none of your business!"

"Well it couldn't have been that good, he looks in one piece."

"Oh true TC! Maybe-"

A disgruntled 'Shut up' and a loud clash of metal thruster stomping on metal rung out in the small space.

The hush that fell over the three seekers couldn't last long though.

"Ya not goin' to let me get a senten-"

"NO!"

"Well if that's ho-"

"Warp…." Thundercracker poked in with his reasoning self.

Giving a puff of air through his vents Skywarp moved out of the way of the entrance bending over in a mock bow, one purple servo out to lead his air commander out.

Starscream gave his own huff of air before lifting himself up and stomping out of the space. Resisting all urges to pummel the younger seeker as he passed.

Not to be left out Thundercracker cycled air through his vents as he again accepted his role as unwilling side-kick/ sparkling sitter.

Starscream took an astro-second to find his discarded data pad and moved his stool to the furthest end of the work space. Never knew when stupid would start catching. And catching stupid might not have been then but it certainly had an active case in the form of a black seeker igniting his thrusters on low and catching the paper bits on fire.

That was fine though…he could stand that….the mess _was_ being cleaned, sort of….Thundercracker would watch him….

Starscream finally started to read the data pad in front of him instead of just staring at it and settled down again. The soft hum of a thruster and the sounds of boxes moving filling the lab. But that peace too could not last.

Not that Starscream could hear it over his own thoughts but there was a scraping noise that replaced the thrusters hum along with a whispered 'warp don't' plea. He did sense the presence close behind all of sudden though. Whipping about the tri-colored jet met with a black wall of metal and then nothing as something equally dark fell over his head covering him. He didn't immediately react, no the air commander knew exactly who had been in front of him before his optics were clouded. He therefore knew it was nothing to fear but something instead to make his circuits buzz.

Taking a cleaning cloth from his subspace Starscream brought it up to his face plates and wiped his optics. Frist thing he saw was Skywarp's own clean pale face plates grinning at him and then a retreating form of seeker as Starscream tried to punch those facial plates.

"Aww come on, black looks good on ya."

Starscream could almost feel his optics sparking. Looking to the cloth clenched in his servo he could see the smears of black. "What is this!" not that it wasn't painfully obvious.

"Ash." Came once again Thundercracker's helpful voice. Though from within the storage closet and muffled. The blue seeker seemed to be continuing to work through the soon to be fight. Can't stop them all.

What happened next could be described as a perfect example of action reaction.

Starscream upon hearing the answer sputtered his vents in a fuss causing small plums of black ash to puff out around him. The sight of his trine leader surrounded in his own self-made gloom cloud caused the naturally black jet to fall into a fit of laughter. That in turn had the once mostly white jet leaping from his stool in a stunning tackle of the laughing jet, both clashing to the metal floor skidding a few yards. Black streaks marked their path whether from paint or ash they couldn't be sure, not that either were interested in the floors cleanliness right then. No, they were both more interested in clawing at each other and shouting insults at one another.

Thundercracker finally came out of the storage closet when the scuffle started to roll past the entrance and the call of "you toaster headed slag licking gas machine" rang out. The blue jet decided that they had gotten whatever it was out of their systems if that was the best they could shout. Grabbing his only cleaning bucket, Thundercracker flung the cleaning fluid on the two seekers as they neared again.

There was a duel panicked squawk and then a flash of purple light leaving only a dripping SIC on the floor with rivets of ash running down to the floor.

"You didn't have to do that." Growled Starscream as he again picked himself up. Splashing ashy liquid about.

The blue jet just gave a hum of his engine before tossing the forgotten cleaning cloth to Starscream.

Taking the cloth back Starscream set to soaking up what mess he could off himself.

"You're not going to find him for at least a couple of joors."

"Mmm He'll have to report for flight practice in the new cycle….don't break anything, I'll be in my quarters. "The mellowing air commander ordered before exiting his once refuge.

Starscream left his lab before the other jet could give any kind of reply and huffed his way back down the hall ways to the officer quarters. An almost musical 'drip-drip' conducting his march.

His stomping ended once inside his one and only other safe room besides his labs. Locking the door and stepping into his private wash rack the agitated flyer finally started to relax.

He also could feel the full force of his fluttering spark.

They had been so close.

He could never admit it, at least not aloud.

He had truly meant to maim the dark jet, but a small part of him, an unrelenting-wish-he-knew-how-to-kill-part, wanted to do more…pleasurable things to the metal that was in his grasp.

Finished with ridding his frame of his trines _lovely_ redecorating , Starscream used another cloth to dry off and then proceeded to flop onto his berth. Wings fanned out and limbs stretched. He let the quite of the room take him. But the more he let his thoughts roam the more his expression darkened.

He was the second in command of the Decepticons, leader of the deadliest trine. The fastest flyer in generations, made his way into the Iacon academy only to rise to the top and explored worlds.

He was the top of the top, elite among the elite practically untouchable!

But did that matter to that dim witted black and purple colored fool?

NO!

Starscream was convinced Skywarp knew what he was doing to him. He wasn't sure when but the younger jet somehow started to worm his way with every childish prank, foolish line of banter and ridiculous action. Now the dark waste of metal had an undesirable effect on his spark. It would flutter when close and produce and almost repulsive warm buzz of feelings just talking, yelling, or even insulting the idiot.

No, Starscream didn't know how or when Skywarp had gotten him like this but he was going to be the one to end it one way or another…


	2. Chapter 2

_**CHAPTER 2**_

_Not going to lie, you guys shocked and flattered me with the response to the prelude/first chapter. And I would like to also point out that I did indeed freak out when I saw that a few authors that I follow either favorite or alerted to this. _

_Also HUGE thanks and love to all those that stuck it threw my uh rather ridiculous wait time on updating…I really didn't mean for that and I hope to never take that long again or even close. And a special thank you to Kangarooney with your review that kicked me in the butt to get moving :D even if it was two months later I get this going again… _

_One last point if I may._

_I'd like to ask for a beta reader? I don't care how many times I read over aloud or not I miss things. I reread chapter one and found a lot I thought I had covered. Just drop a PM if you might like to try it out or have interest._

_Thank you, enjoy~_

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><p>After exactly five terrestrial hours of snapped orders, frustrated pot shots, and less than witty banter all to only end up ducked in the chilled ocean waters had Starscream almost past whatever happy beat his spark wanted to dance to.<p>

They were currently hovering in root mode waiting for the base elevator to rise up allowing the three tried seeker s to enter. Exhaustion was the only thing that the three shared though.

Starscream had at first been pleased with himself. Having poured his earlier frustrations the night before into an all-out mock battle of the ages for their morning practice. The air commander had planned for a torturous training drill knowing full well that he'd be pushed to his own limits…But the look of horror and the disgruntled mutterings from the dark seeker had simply made his vindictive side's day.

That was till Skywarp's own self pervasion kicked over to vengeance. The black and purple seeker had at first just gone with the planed exorcises; sticking to rude grumblings with a few thrown in equally rude faces. Of course it evolved with the strain of the mock fight. From gripes to outright name calling, perfect formations purposely undone with sloppy 'accidental' maneuvering, even going from answering orders properly to using every language he could think of down to eventually using human sign language. All of which could almost not be understood due to the warper's own lack of understanding the foreign languages.

Starscream had actually taken the evolving disobedience relatively well at first, only giving half-sparked shots and mild insults in return. Simply far too pleased that he was causing the foul mood. No, it was Thundercracker who had turned the runs from a petty game of will into a mess of flustered salt incrusted seekers. The normally rash and calm of the three had not had a successful night of recharge. He had spent most of the night cycle rolling about on his berth and finding only restless recharge for a joor or two. And as unusual as a poor recharge was for the blue seeker so was his mood in the cycle after.

Perhaps understandably then that getting up early for practice much less an all-out air skirmish wasn't going over well for the recharge deprived seeker. But he was also nothing if not a good soldier.

Taking orders and at one point even mech handling Skywarp into formation to keep it going. Not to say he was exactly chipper about complying or gentle with his wingmates. It only turned ugly more towards the end when Starscream and Skywarp had ground down to yelling at each other, again, and Thundercracker had tried to make his escape. Here Starscream turned on him as well spouting his _necessary _presence for practice. Not in the mood or mind set to pacify the air commander, Thundercracker made a half intended- half slipped cutting remark. This was received with a fair level of shock, but quickly dissolved into snickers from one and an angry engine growl from the other.

The blue jet huffed his vents and moved to leave again. Starscream not one to be undermined grabbed for the retreating seeker. There was a slight struggle as the two warring jets hovered over the ocean waters. Skywarp having been pushed past his short level of patience now that the attention had moved on from him made short time of injecting his brand of wit into the tiff.

One might take note that the three seekers had decided to have their impromptu shouting match but a servo full of meters above the water. So it's easy to see how when Skywarp made to side with TC and Starscream was still enforcing an iron grip all while Thundercracker jerked for one last escape off balancing the three in a domino effect. With the ocean so near they had no time to untangle and right themselves before making a rather large splash in the choppy waters.

Foam had gone everywhere only to erupt again as two jets rocketed out of the depths. Skywarp had simply teleported roughly half way back to base above once again, dumping a large amount of salt water that had been displaced with his warp.

After doing a fly by that left his audios ringing Thundercracker zipped the rest of the way back in graceful ire. Starscream listing off every unfavorable name he could at the passing jet before heading back himself. Both older fliers graciously throwing the blame of the whole act to the younger. In all though taking it as the sign to stop.

As one should expect from the air commander, after having his plans of revenge over thrown. He was not happy, but even that anger was pushed aside for a new problem. The elevator it seemed could not rise fast enough for the three. Starscream was making use of the time. Making it his private mission _not_ to look at the dripping idiot, easier said than done. For all the harassment of the mock fight Skywarp had actually come up with one or two clever retorts. Even the warpers 'mishaps' during formation were perfect manipulations; perhaps could only be out done by Thundercracker or himself.

The way the planet's single sun beamed off of his dark wet glossy armor was one of the more pressing distractions.

To cover his rapidly dwindling self-control, Starscream pushed past a growling Thundercracker as the lift broke the waters opening with a groan.

Not giving the slightest back ward glance Starscream paced ahead and towards his quarters. The halls pasted in a blur along with the cons pressing to the walls in escape of wing to face plate. Entering his room and practically attacking the private wash racks his rank provided him. It would do no good to let the salt dry on his armor and more importantly, sensitive wiring. Not to mention whatever organics lived in the murky waters.

Slapping the controls to life; filtered water and solvents poured down in a cool cascade, instantly talking some of the tension out of stiff struts. Cycling air softly through vents to further cool systems and relax Starscream could finally take a mental step back and look back of that morning's rather abrupt ending. The white jet was still up on whether to call it a disaster or if not quite a complete success.

After all, most of his plan had worked with the added bonus of a soaked black and purple seeker images file added to his own private and ever growing stock of the idiot. Which still shocked him at times that he even had such a folder, much less such a _large _folder. There was any number of pictures and tidbits saved in there. Things from a rare astute comment, ridiculous retort, images of a good prank's fulfillment or lewd angles and positions he had caught from day to day. Even, though he'd never admit it, had a soft recording of the black seekers more childlike warm laughing he himself had pulled from the younger jet at some silly reply while over charged one night cycle much too long ago.

And wasn't this water supposed to cool his plating?

Starscream quickly closed all files he had pulled from that senseless folder, leaving his HUD clear. Turning the water on a bit stronger while ex-venting where he could without drowning his vents; he managed to regulate back to normal and finish his self-cleaning. And not a moment too soon it seemed.

::_Starscream!::_ demanded Megatron's raspy voice over his internal comm.

Stepping out of the racks wet floor space while giving the system a flick to shut off, Starscream moved to take up a towel. One of the only positive things to come out of the dirt ball of a planet.

::Starscream!:: came a second bellow of the Commander.

Taking time to dry and softy polish as he went with the towel Starscream worked from thrusters up to white wings.

::Starscream, you treacherous flying idiot, answer me!::

Reaching for the tips of his wings always proved hard, perhaps if he twisted just so.

::If you do not answer me in the next astro-second I will-::

Ah, might not have reached the back or tips quite, but the pull of wires with the shift of armor was nice.

::-place your helm in a vat of the foul smelling-::

Tossing the towel to the side the jet moved over to a towel covered mount he had installed some time ago.

::-humans can rein over your lifeless scraped self, letting those disgusting _spawn_-::

Rubbing wings across the soft surface in a most enjoyable manner.

::- and only then would I allow such a pathetic excuse of a Second-in-command-::

Finally pulling away and settling himself Starscream proceeded to show off his newly cleaned and gently buffed self in the reflective wall panel. Yes that would do perfectly, of course what about him wasn't?

::undwave, and crush-::

::Megatron, my _Lord_, perhaps if you put that much effort into real plans then this war would be over.::

An awkward sort of pause came over the comm. Megatron it seemed had put himself on such a roll that he'd almost completely forget there was someone on the line.

Starscream couldn't keep the smirk off his face if he wanted.

:: I-Starscream you had better have a good reason for _ignoring_ my call!::

::I would _never_ ignore a hail from our _magnificent _leader.::

::Please, don't strain anything Starscream I would _hate_ to see you in pain.::

::Was there a point to this dull waste of a call or-?:: In much too good of a mood to let it spiral out of hand into a fight, again.

::Hnn, report to the bridge. Soundwave has found something.:: The tone suggesting that the Air Commander wasn't the only one in a strange but good mood.

Before Starscream could question or even confirm the order Megatron cut the line leaving soft static.

"Hump!" was all the seeker gave before exiting his quarters and making for the most ridiculous maze to get to the Command center. He might be demanded there, but that didn't mean he had to be quick about it. What should have taken only a breem or two at most turned into a winding ten breem long stroll.

But it seemed his stab at insubordination was a waste. Soundwave was the only one to greet him as he entered the Command center. Shift change taking over leaving the rest of the large room only half filled.

"Our glorious leader calls me out from _my_ important business and does not even show? How like him." The SIC commented as he made it fully to stand in front of the passive Soundwave. Who merely twisted to his left to pick up a data pad.

"Lord Megatron's location: classified." Droned the TIC while handing over the data pad.

Taking the offered pad Starscream snorted "Classified? I'm sure it is"

Soundwave had already turned to continue his duty. Now ignoring the seeker.

Letting his rather good mood overlook the laps of respect, Starscream focused on the data pad in his servo. Scanning the already open file and quickly realizing it held new mission orders. Nothing truly outstanding for that he was certain. It seemed that what Soundwave had found was something of an odd energon deposit. What making it odd being the electronic reading also found with the energon. The site needed to be scouted or at the very least see if the Autobots had stumbled across the same readings already. Which all meant the Second in command of the entire Decepticon army was being sent out on a something a half wired stunticon could accomplish.

Anger rose quickly causing his grip on the data pad to tighten making it creak. Starscream just barely caught the glance Soundwave sent him from across the room. Taking a slightly larger ventilation of air the jet loosed his hold and made for the doors he had just entered. There was little point in arguing his way around this. Megatron was out, Primus knew where, and Soundwave would either ignore him or simply stare. Starscream wasn't sure which was worse.

It wasn't completely a horrible situation though and certainly not the worse the SIC had ever been in.

::Thundercracker.:: Starscream commed over his private link to his wingmate while starting the trek to his lab for a few items.

::…If this is anything other than you ordering me free of shift than I don't want to hear it.:: Came the grumbling reply after a moment of crackling static filled silence.

::You will do as I order wither or not you want to hear it. I am yo-::

::What is it?:: came the terse reply cutting in.

::Grab an early ration and meet me at the elevator.::

::New orders?::

::Obviously::

::I'll be there:: the line being cut on the other end making a soft snap.

Only mildly offended by his grump of a wingmate he opened his channel again to hail their third. Perhaps sending off a half sparked prayer that the warped warper would make this easy.

:Skywarp::

:Answer me Skywarp::

::…Skywarp!::

The tri-colored seeker almost smacked his audios uselessly as a pounding beat of music flared over the comms line. No words could be deciphered as the music, least he thought it was music, blasted it in grabbled rhythms. Manually forcing the volume of the sound down did Starscream start to understand the lyrics.

::This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill::

::Skywarp!:: he yelled back, attempting to overpower the music.

::Fifteen percent concentrated power of will::

::Shut that slag off and answer me!::

::Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain::

Before the frizzing SIC could screech out anything else the sound cut off. The line was almost creepily silent making Starscream wary.

::Skywarp, you had-:: anything else he might have said was drowned by the startling impact of lyrics again.

::AND A HUNDRED PERCENT REASON TO REMEMBER THE NAME!::

No, his prayer went unheard or Primus was just showing him that _special _brand of humor again.

Picking up the pace to reach his labs Starscream added a few new items to his list of equipment.

The warper was indeed _not _going to make this easy.

But when did he ever?

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><p>I don't own the characters or the song<p> 


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